The parking lot of Valencia’s The Church On The Way was transformed into a water park Thursday as the church held its second “SoakFest” event to mark the Fourth of July.

The several hundred attendees at the event splashed, slopped and soaked each other around the parking lot, which hosted inflatable slides, wading pools, water pistols, balloons and a dunk tank.

While allowing people to frolic in the water on a hot summer day was a major reason for “SoakFest,” the event is meant to be as much about fellowship as it is about fun, said church Senior Pastor Doug Andersen.

“It allows people to gather together, to talk to someone new,” Andersen said. “The whole goal was to do something for the community.”

Andersen said about 350 people had already came to the event about one hour into its three-hour run. At last year’s event, the first one held by the church, about 700 people in total showed up, Andersen said.

The chance to cool off was a major reason why Valencia resident Rebecca Rice chose to attend the event.

“When there’s water out there you just have to have fun,” said Rice, who had just been doused by the spray from a water truck.

Rice said she heard about the event from some friends and enjoyed getting to meet some new people.

“It’s been really fun,” she said. “It’s sort of a small town, get-to-know-you kind of event.”

Valencia resident and The Church on the Way attendee Stan Ruszala brought hwis nephews, Justin and Brad Werner, to enjoy the event.

“It’s great to see this kind of reaching out to the community,” he said as water balloons splashed on the ground nearby.

When asked if he would come back to the event next year, Ruszala responded, “Absolutely.”